Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm the time frame within which the government will consider the second tranche? Can the minister confirm what line item in the appropriations before the parliament now will be used to support the expenditure that would come with the second tranche? I understand from what the minister has just said that they have not taken a final decision about the second tranche. That is as it may be and I will accept what the minister has said. But if there is contemplation of a second tranche then there must be an appropriation for it. Where is the appropriation in the budget bills that are before the parliament now? If the minister could identify that appropriation then that would at least give the Australian public an idea of the outer reaches of what it is that the government might spend should it determine to engage in a second tranche.

The reason, of course, for having the budget papers is so that people can ascertain what it is that is planned to be spent. Yes, there are times when appropriations are in the budget papers and they are not fully expended. If the government determines not to go ahead with the second tranche, that may be one of those occasions. But there must be an appropriation in these budget documents for financing the second tranche. Could the minister direct the attention of the parliament to where that appropriation line item is to be found?

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